Manning served as Ward 2 councilmember for eight years and before that for 10 years on the Anoka-Hennepin School Board before he was unseated by Larson four years ago.

He ran for election again because there were still some important issues that he has wanted to be part of the decision-making, according to Manning.

Among the issues on which he focused his campaign was repeal of the gas prepay ordinance, which Manning said was hurting gas stations owners’ business and was inconvenient to customers.

Manning is also hoping that the city can interest developers in moving forward with quality projects on Coon Rapids Boulevard.

“I am excited to be returning to the council,” Manning said.

There are a good group of people on the council, some of whom Manning has served with before, and they work well together, he said.

“It is important to be able to work together, put votes behind you and not carry them over to the next meeting otherwise councils become dysfunctional,” Manning said.

Councilmember Jerry Koch, 10560 Mississippi Blvd., who was appointed to fill the Ward 4 council seat last year after former Councilmember Joe Sidoti resigned because he moved out of the city and the state for work reasons, ran unopposed.

Koch had 4,321 votes. There were 49 write-in votes.

According to City Clerk Cathy Sorensen, voter turnout appeared to be high in Coon Rapids.

There were between 200 and 400 same-day voter registrations in all 22 precincts, Sorensen said.

“But there were no long lines at the polling place, just a constant, steady stream of voters,” she said.